By the good offices of Riptide Publishing
KJ Charles’s new Entertainment

WANTED, A GENTLEMANOr, Virtue Over-Rated

the grand romance of

Mr. Martin St. Vincent . . . a Merchant with a Mission, also a ProblemMr. Theodore Swann . . . a humble Scribbler and Advertiser for Love

Act the First:

the offices of the Matrimonial Advertiser, London
where Lonely Hearts may seek one another for the cost of a shilling

Act the Second:

a Pursuit to Gretna Green (or thereabouts)

featuring

a speedy Carriage
sundry rustic Inns
a private Bed-chamber

***In the course of which are presented

Romance, Revenge, and Redemption
Deceptions, Discoveries, and Desires

the particulars of which are too numerous to impart.

Review

KJ Charles' historical romance are my favourite queer historicals and this one easily joins their ranks. It's impeccably written, engaging and so much fun. This is a kind of road trip story in the chase of a runaway bride where two unlikely people fall in lust-love.

This Georgian romance is less serious than the Society of Gentlemen series but we have some political elements here as well and they give this light-hearted story an edgier feel and a certain depth to the characters which makes them all the more likable.

I won't go into details about the plot, but I just want to say that we have The Matrimonial Advertiser as the great-great grandfather of Tinder and Grindr and reading about it was highly enjoyable.

The leading characters, as one has come to expect from KJ Charles, read like real-life people dealing with real-life issues. Martin who is an freed slave is a most fascinating character and I loved everything about him -he is very attractive, smart but also struggling with conflicting feelings of gratitude and rightful indignation towards his former masters. He appears so put together,a successful business man, confident and completely at ease with who he is but meeting Theo and the road trip they take together brings to the fore all his buried emotions.

I found Theo less intriguing than Martin though they certainly made an interesting couple. I loved how they saw the other for he was and even though things between them started as a business transaction they quickly developed into something real, intimate.

There is a big twist in the story towards the end which I have to admit I didn't expect and it did turn things around in many ways, yet it still worked and added a certain sensationalist flavour to the story.

Wanted, A Gentleman is a quick and very entertaining read, recommended for the times you want to escape reality and lose yourself in a good book.